monroe



(ModeL) E. P. MONROE.

PAGKING FOR PISTON RODS.

No. 246,185. Patented Aug. 23,1881.

Wi'iwmw Ina/6723021 %%Wk WWW /QMMVQ QKOM/w/Q QM? I V y. M M K fltqyJUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN P. MONROE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PACKING FOR PISTON-RODS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 246,185, dated August23, 1881.

Application filed March 9, 1881. (Model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN P. MONROE, of NewYork, county of New York,State of New York, have invented Improvements in Packing forPiston-Rods, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to a packing for a piston-rod or similar article,and certain features render it specially adapted to be used inconnection with the air-pumps employed on locomotives for compressingair to operate the automatic train-brakes now commonly used. Thispacking renders the operation of such pumps, under certaincircumstances, more certain and effective than when provided withordinary stuffing-boxes in the usual manner.

The invention is intended as an improvement on a former applicationfiled by me, February 11, 1881, and contains certain features of thesaid application, to which reference may be had. In the said applicationpacking-rings of suitable metal were shown, having a sphericalbearing-surface in a packing-receptacle connected with the cylinder-heador other partition,through which the rod to bepacked passed. Owing tothe spherical shape of the bearingsurface of the packing-ring, it isfree to rock in its receptacle to compensate for angular displacement ofthe said rod and in order to compensate for lateral displacement thereofthe packing-receptacle was so connected with the cylinder -head orpartition as to have a free lateral movement therein, which, inconnection with the rocking movement of the packing in the receptacle,provided a universal adjusting movement to accommodate any displacementthat would take place in the said rod.

In my present invention the packing-receptacle, where connected with thecylinder-head, is provided with a spherical bearing admitting of auniversal rocking movement, the said bearing-surface having a differentcenter of motion from the bearing-surface of the packing in the saidreceptacle, so that by means of these two spherical hearings orball-joints a similar universal adjustment is accomplished, for bothlateral and angular deviations of the rod, to that which was formerlyaccomplished by one ball and one plane joint giving a rocking andsliding movement.

In the air-pumps before mentioned, which are used in connection with thewell-known Westinghouse compressed-air brakes, the aircompressingcylinder is usually placed verti-i5 5 the piston-rod, whence it findsits way, when an ordinary stufiing-boxis used, into thefibrous packingthereof, and sometimes passes into the air-cylinder, and as soon as thepump is at rest, if the weather be very cold, the water will freeze inthe said air-cylinder and stuffing-box, and thus prevent the properaction of the airpump and put it in danger of being broken or injured inits subsequent operation.

The packing-ring employed in'my present invention fits so closely to thepiston-rod that any water which may run down the said rod will be causedto pass over the outside of the said packing, instead of between it andthe rod. I have so shaped the packing-receptacle and the union orcoupling by which it is connected with the cylinder-head that the saidwater shall always have a free passage over the outside of the saidparts and be prevented from entering at any point within the cylinder orany joint between the Working parts.

Figure l is a longitudinal section of a portion of a cylinder-head orother similar partition and a rod entering therein provided with packingconstructed in accordance with my invention, the receptacle being shownas thrown out of its normal position by lateral displacement of the rodFig.2, a similar view, showing a modified form of packing in theposition assumed when the said rod is in the center of its aperture-itsnormal position.

The partition a may be the cylinder-head of a steam engine or pump, orthe end of a steamchest or any similar receptacle into which itissurface, 3, in the union or coupling g, (shown as a screw-threadedring,) by which the said receptacle (1 is connected with the partition aor a tubular projection, a, therefrom. This spherical bearing-surface 3of the packing-receptacle d permits it to have a free rocking movementin all directions, and in the said movement the packing-ring c is movedbodily from its position in line with the axis of the tubular projectiona and the rod 1), when in its normal position, so that when the said rodis bodily moved from its central position in the opening a and passage ainto the partition on, as shown in Fig. 1, it rocks thepacking-receptacle on the hearing 3, as shown, while the packing a rocksin its receptacle d to admit of the angular deviation of the latter orthe angular displacement of the rod I), which may take placeindependently of or in connection with its lateral dis placement.

In the form shown in Fig. 2 the springf reacts between the follower cand the partition a, to which its force is transmitted through thebushing m and bearing-ring n ofthe said spring, which thus holds boththe packing 0 up to its bearing in the receptacle cl and the latter upto its bearing'in the coupling or union 9; but in the construction shownin Fig.1 an independent spring, f, is employed to hold thepacking-receptacle up to its bearing in the coupling g. In thisconstruction the said packing-receptacle d is provided with a shoulder,4, to receive the spring f, and the portion of the said receptacle whichcontains the packing is made detachable from the portion having itsbearing on the coupling 9, the two portions being shown as screwedtogether at 5.

When the packing is employed in the airpump cylinder of a Westinghousebrake apparatus, water of condensation from the steamcylinder above willsometimes run down the rod b; but the packing o is pressed so tightlyupon the said rod that the said water will not pass between the rod andpacking, but will flow over the outside of the said packing at the point6. I11 order to prevent this water from collecting upon the upperportion of the packing-receptacle or the coupling 9, by which the saidreceptacle is connected with the partition a, as it would be likely todo if the parts were constructed as in my former application,hereinbefore referred to, the outer surface of the packing-receptacle ismade curved or inclined, as shown at 7, to cause the said water to fiowoff at once; and in order to prevent this water from entering the spaceat 8, between the packing-receptacle and the coupling g, an annular hoodor shield, h, is placed around the receptacle d, above the said space 8,so that the water flowing down over the outer surface of the receptacle(1 falls over upon the upper surface of the coupling g, which is alsocurved or inclined, as shown, to shed the water, so that it falls uponthe upper surface of the partition a, where it can do no harm, andwhence it may be led, if necessary, by any suitable passage or channel.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1 the screw-threaded flange h of theupper portion of the packing-receptacle d may be made to overhang thespace S,so as to perform the func tion of the hood or shield h inpreventing the water from entering the said space 8, where it mightfreeze and interfere with the working of the parts.

When the coupling 9 is employed the shield h or bearing portion 5 willhave to be made detachable from the receptacle d. The said shield may bemade in two semicircular portions, clamped together tightly on thereceptacle d, which may have a shallow annular groove therefor; or, inthe construction shown in Fig. 2, the shield h may be made as an annularring and fitted tightly or screwed upon the said receptacle.

It is obvious that the packing-receptacle d might have its sphericalbearing in the partition a, suitably constructed therefor, and thecoupling g would in such construction be dispensed with.

I claim- 1. In a packing for piston-rods and similar articles, apacking-receptacle connected with the cylinder-head or other partitionby a balljoint or spherical bearing-surface, combined with packin ghaving a universal rocking movement in the said receptacle, as described,where by the said receptacle is permitted to rock to accommodate lateraldeviations of the packed rod, and the packing to rock to accommodateangular deviations of the said rod and receptacle relative to oneanother, substantially as described.

2. Thepacking-receptacle connected with the cylinder-head and having acurved orinclined outersurface, as described, combined with the verticalpiston-rod, and the metallic packing located in the end of the saidreceptacle, and wedged into close connection with the outside of the rodand the inside of the receptacle, whereby water flowing along the packedrod is prevented from passing between the rod and packing or enteringthe receptacle, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The packing and its receptacle, combined with the coupling to attachthe said receptacle to the cylinder-head, and an overhanging portion orshield to cover and protect the joint between the said receptacle andits coupling, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The rod, its packing, and the receptacle therefor, and the spring fto press the said packing to its seat or bearing, combined with theindependent sprin g f to press the recepta- IIO cle to its bearing inthe partition that the packed rod is to enter, substantially asdescribed.

5. The packing provided with a spherical bearing-surface and thereceptacle therefor,

combined with the coupling for the said receptacle, the said couplingand receptacle having a spherical bearing-surface, as described, wherebythe said packing may have a universal movement, to enable it toaccompany and properly fit the packed rod in its deviations from a truerectilinear movement, substantially as described.

6. The packing anditsreccptacle, connected,

EDWIN P. MONROE.

Witnesses:

HULBERT PECK, DAVID L. RAYMOND.

